After four intense days at the Red Space venue in Taipei, the APT Championship Main Event—the highest-paying event in the tour’s history—has finally reached the final nine. Day 4 began with 34 players all vying for a seat at one of the most prestigious final tables in an Asian major, and after a thrilling 13-hour battle, India’s Nishant Sharma emerged as the chip leader.
Sharma returned to the final table with 9,125,000 in chips, equivalent to 152 big blinds, with a chance to become the third Indian player to secure a seven-figure payout. From the first deal, he demonstrated exceptional control, extracting value at the right moments, and closed the night in style by defeating Jun Hao Wu with pocket jacks against pocket tens, eliminating him in 10th place.
The early stages saw plenty of movement. Hao Chuang overcame resistance from Malaysia’s Ben Loo, while Sharma eliminated George Tomescu in a king-versus-queen confrontation.
Matas Cimbolas made a big leap after a standout call with AK against Eisuke Katsuren, successfully doubling up and quickly accumulating chips to surge up the leaderboard.
As the day settled into a steadier pace, several notable players fell. Dohang Na (31st), Adam Alfie (29th), Jereld Sam (24th), Ori Kossonogi (22nd), Martin Sedlak (19th), and Ankit Ahuja (18th) all fell short of a deep Day 4 run.
What followed was a whirlwind. Five eliminations in under half an hour cut the field from 16 to 11, turning what had seemed like a long grind into an intense sprint. Dominik Nitsche became the center of attention, first knocking out Thanh Tien Nguyen and then eliminating Andrew Han with a strong K6 holding.
Chuang picked up another crucial pot, defeating Xiaowen Zhao, who was eliminated in 11th place.
The game then entered a long, drawn-out stalemate: a five-hour stretch where no player was willing to give an inch. During this period, John Costiniano became one of the day’s standout stories. Starting from a short stack, he steadily built a massive chip stack through a series of key doubles. He survived an A-8 versus K-Q confrontation, used aces to defeat Huang, and executed a precise hero call with jacks, firmly securing his position in the middle of the chip counts.
Finally, the night’s action came to an end when Sharma held pocket Jacks against Wu’s pocket Tens, flopped a full house, and successfully secured his seat at the final table.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Pos. | Player | Country/Region | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nishant Sharma | India | 9,125,000 | 152 |
| 2 | Dominik Nitsche | United Kingdom | 7,125,000 | 119 |
| 3 | Neng Zhao | Australia | 4,195,000 | 70 |
| 4 | John Costiniano | Philippines | 3,700,000 | 62 |
| 5 | Hao Chuang | Taiwan | 3,345,000 | 56 |
| 6 | Matas Cimbolas | Lithuania | 2,370,000 | 40 |
| 7 | Alexandru Papazian | Romania | 1,530,000 | 26 |
| 8 | Hao Shan Huang | Taiwan | 1,395,000 | 23 |
| 9 | Martin Finger | Germany | 635,000 | 11 |
Nine players now remain, each guaranteed at least TWD 3,047,100 (approximately USD 97,660), while all are vying for the life-changing first prize of TWD 37,030,773 (approximately USD 1,186,880) — the largest Main Event payout in APT history.
Mini Main Championship: Nevan Chang Achieves Career-Best Victory
Taiwan’s Nevan Chang emerged victorious in the Mini Main Championship, outlasting a field of 1,603 entries to claim TWD 7,085,620 and the APT Lion Trophy. The day began with Justin Chu in the chip lead, while Chang returned with a mid-stack and gradually built a steady rhythm throughout the afternoon. Early exits included Jun Li and Fabian Rolli, while satellite qualifier Minjeong Kim made a strong start by winning a full pot with pocket Aces.
Winner’s Reflection
Nevan Chang shared his thoughts on the victory:
“I hadn’t planned to play this event after being eliminated from the 5K High Roller, but a friend convinced me to jump back in. I’m so glad I did — winning feels absolutely amazing.”
Speaking about the support from his partner at the final table, he added:
“Having my partner advance in the same event made this win even more special. It was incredible to have someone cheering me on the whole way.”
Final Table Recap
Action kicked off immediately at the final table. South Korea’s Soobum Kim was eliminated in ninth place after calling into Chang’s nut flush, while Taiwan’s Wei Kai Lin exited in eighth when his K10 couldn’t overcome Chang’s A7. Kwok Chun Ng ran into a pair of 2s and finished seventh, and Chang Fu Hung bowed out in sixth after A5s lost to Chang’s AJ. Yew Fatt Kan went out in fifth with A3s running into a set of 8s, and Rob Hollink’s strong run ended in fourth as his KQs couldn’t hold against Chu. Chu then slipped to third after losing two critical pots, including an all-in with K10 versus Chang’s A10.
Heads-Up Action
At the start of heads-up play, Nevan held the advantage over Malaysia’s Joel Singam. Although Singam evened the stacks early with a big pot, Nevan regained control after rivering a flush. Moments later, Singam moved all-in with Q10s, and Nevan called with A6s. He paired on the flop and hit a full house on the turn, securing the tournament victory. This marked the largest live cash of Nevan’s career and added another standout moment to the series, further highlighting his exceptional performance as a Natural8 ambassador.
Red Dragon Poker APP Officially Launched
The long-established tournament brand Red Dragon Cup has now released its own app — “Red Dragon Poker.”
The Red Dragon Cup is a well-known Asian poker brand with a strong reputation across the region. Originating in Macau, it quickly became one of the most influential poker events in Asia. Red Dragon Poker tournaments regularly attract players from all over the world, offering massive fields and impressive prize pools.
For those interested, we highly recommend downloading the “Red Dragon Poker” app to join more exciting tournaments.